And I Hate You So
by kismette
Summary: AU Newspaper columnist Mimi and DJ Matt meet coincidentally, with the help of a vinyl record that sets off a sequence of event to bring them together. Mimato! Revised & Reposted.
1. Chapter 1

Hello!

Thanks for clicking into this story. I'm already gracious as it is And I Hate You So was written a couple of years ago, and recently has been revised, just a little, so that it would make more sense. I really hope that you'll enjoy the fic, and leave me a review on the way!

-kck

Standard Disclaimers Apply.

****

**And I Hate You So - Chapter 1**  
  
Mimi woke up early in the morning to the sound of the fax. She rubbed her eyes groggily and waited for the fax to finish. She was having a great dream. She was flying. Over the clouds and away from all the problems. She was free. Only to be crash-landed by that blasted fax.  
  
With practically all her strength, she sat up from the warm bed and pulled the quilt away. The cold air around her immediately made their way into her, causing her to shiver and goosebumps to appear, and finally, caused her to sneeze.  
  
Taking a nearby coat from a chair in her messy room, Mimi walked over to the fax machine, stepping over books, pens and some clothes. With her outstretched hand, she reached for the thin fax paper. "Company had cut off your power."  
  
"What?!" Mimi cried. Just to test that it was true, she reached for the light and tuned it on. It refused to even blink. "Oh great. Just great." She fumbled in her large leather phone book.  
  
"Yes, the electricity company?...Yes I was wondering why you cut off my power...Mimi Tachikawa...Yes, that's right...What?! I owe $700? Are you joking?...Alright alright. How long will it take then?...You gotta be kidding me..."

* * *

Mimi sat herself comfortably on the café chair. She came to this café everyday since what seems like forever. It sort of became a tradition, coming here every single morning. "I feel so old." She muttered under her breath. Mimi Tachikawa was already 22 years old and a successful writer. Not for a book, although she _had_ written one, but for a newspaper - the Morning Daily. She only occupied a small column everyday, but even so, people all over the city read her articles. She wrote about anything in life: her own life, the ups and downs and anything that she felt like at the time. She earned just enough money each week to pay off her rent, and enjoy some entertainment and leisure with her friends.  
  
"A flat white please. Thanks." Mimi said to the waitress. Pretty soon, her coffee was delivered in a mug.   
  
Taking a sip, she opened her black laptop, and immediately started typing. _Bad Luck, by Mimi Tachikawa.  
  
What bad luck. My power got cut. I have no heat, and no light. I even forgot to save my columns, so they were all gone.   
  
There seems to be a local saying, "to step on guano." Have you ever worn your favourite shoes one day, the newest, prettiest shoes ever, only to step in a soft pile? If so, then you understand...  
_After she had finished, she made sure that she saved it this time. Smiling, she moved her hand to close the laptop, and promptly knocked the cup of coffee onto the ground, making a loud crash. Mimi sighed, looking at the mess of the floor. "This is just not my day."

* * *

At last, she was out of that office. Mimi was walking back, on the cell phone with her friend, Kari, telling her about all her bad luck, and the power cut. Kari was a good friend and was also the part time photographer working for the Morning Daily. Even though she was years younger, she was already going steady with her boyfriend, Davis and yet, Mimi had never found anyone suitable. Greg, her current boyfriend was okay, helping her out sometimes when she needed it, but he was also a pain in the ass sometimes. She also had an ex, but tries to forget him and pretended that he didn't exist.  
  
Hanging up with Kari, Mimi passed a junk shop, and stopped suddenly. She felt as if something was pulling her into it. Without struggling, she walked over and pushed open the old green door. As she walked in, chimes sounded, signalling a customer and potential buyer. The place was full of old odds and ends - chipped plates, old chimes, clocks and quite simply, junk. At the far side of the room, the shopkeeper turned around.   
  
She was a middle-aged woman, with short, cropped black hair and thick square glasses. "Can I help you?" her squeaky voice emitted from bright red painted lips.  
  
"No thanks," Mimi replied. "I'm unlucky today - I might break something."  
  
The lady smiled. "Then I'll sell it to you cheaper."  
  
Mimi raised an eyebrow, "I'm afraid of that."  
  
"Broken pieces are useful too," the shopkeeper persisted. "Look!" she said while holding up a sculpture of what seemed to be many broken pieces glued together. "I made this. So nice, right?"  
  
"It is pretty," Mimi lied.  
  
The lady smiled with satisfaction and placed the object preciously back down on the table. "It's not for sale."   
  
Mimi continued to look around the store. Suddenly, she spotted a whole section of - "Vinyl records? People want these?"   
  
"This is great stuff!" The shopkeeper walked over to her. "All the classic collections!"  
  
Mimi picked up a record and looked at the woman beside her. "My first boyfriend loved these. I gave him a limited edition once for his birthday." She turned the record cover over and stared down at it. "He was so happ-" she couldn't believe it. It just couldn't be...  
  
The shop lady looked down at the record. "Sorry, but I'm holding that for someone."  
  
"This is the one!" Mimi exclaimed. "I gave it to him! My first boyfriend! This is my signature. I'm Mimi! Why is it here?"  
  
Instead of answering, the shopkeeper asked her, "You're a Virgo?"  
  
"How did you know?"  
  
"You should stay home today, you know?"  
  
"How can he do this to me just because I'm a Virgo?" Mimi watched the shopkeeper walk back to the counter and followed her. "That's too cruel! It took me forever to find this! I can't let anyone have it." She fumbled in her handbag and pulled out a couple of notes and offered it to the lady, who stared at it for a few seconds before shaking her head.  
  
"It's already been bought. He didn't have enough cash. He'll be back. Trust is important in business, you know."  
  
"Please," Mimi begged. "I'll give you more money."   
  
The shopkeeper considered once again. "Call him." she said, handing Mimi the phone, and a number.

* * *

"Okay, bye, mom." Yamato Ishida hung up the phone. "That only took up an hour of my life," he muttered. Just when he was prepared to lie down and relax, his cell phone began to ring. Damn! This better be good...Hello? Yes? I see...yes, I see...uh, please let me speak to the boss lady...Hi, hello? I don't care who she is. That record is mine, I'm coming to get it now. Thanks!"

* * *

The shopkeeper placed down the phone, looking disappointed. "He said no."  
  
"He did?" Mimi couldn't take it anymore! Why her? She knew she was overreacting, but she didn't care. She wasn't going to let it happen. "He pretended to sympathize with me!"  
  
"He did say that he's coming now. If you wait here, you can beg him face to face."  
  
"Me? Beg him?" The shop lady nodded. "Oh, I can tell from his voice that he's nasty. All men are cold-blooded! I hope the record is mouldy and scratchy." With that, she grabbed her bags and walked furiously to the door, slamming it behind her.  
  
To be continued... 


	2. Chapter 2

**And I Hate You So - Chapter 2**  
  
"Where is it?" Mimi was high on a chair, looking for a dictionary on the top shelf of one of her many bookcases. Her boyfriend Greg was squatting at her fridge, pulling out a beer and taking a quick swig, before swallowing with a grimace.  
  
"Why is the beer warm?" he asked.  
  
"I thought I told you about the power cut." Mimi said, four feet above him. Greg looked into the fridge, taking numerous things out and throwing them into an overflowing bin beside the fridge. Mimi climbed down, looking triumphant with a red dictionary in her hand. One look at him made her frown again.  
  
"Don't throw my things away."   
  
Greg immediately froze, his hands inches from the bin, holding a can of unopened beer. He stared at it for a second before shrugging and placed it back in the fridge, shutting its door. Looking around the messy apartment, he walked slowly over to Mimi.  
  
"You have two choices," Greg started. "First, hire a maid. Or, you can move in with me." He hugged her, and enjoyed the sweet smile she was giving him.  
  
"Rent free?" Mimi asked, continuing to smile.  
  
"Pay just a little. You're paying so much for this place!"  
  
"But it's still my own place," Mimi said, and turned away, breaking the hug. "If I move in with you, I'll have to tolerate with you and you're buddies."  
  
"But I need someone to share the flat with me..." he picked up a wine bottle and investigated the label.  
  
"...I've warned you."  
  
"If you have to rent it out, you'll have to return my..." Mimi paused, and tossed back her chestnut hair, looking at Greg. "Oh, I never gave you anything." She turned back to the big cardboard box where she tossed out all her junk, trying not for the first time to 'clean the apartment'.  
  
"Come on, let's go out. I'm meeting my matess at Moonshine." Greg suggested. Moonshine was a local club, and quite popular. Although to Mimi, it was dangy and lacked atmosphere. The name of the club was merely a deceitful lie.  
  
"I'm sorry," Mimi said, her voice being anything but sorry, "I don't want to listen to men gossip."  
  
"You have to meet more people."  
  
"Well I'm sorry I don't write gossip columns or advertisements for friends."  
  
Greg sighed. "You sure you don't wanna go?" Mimi shook her head. "Fine. I'll see you, 'kay?" He gave his grumpy girlfried a quick hug before walking out, closing the door behind him.  
  
Mimi sighed herself, and continued searching for her thesaurus. Men are useless. She didn't need them. But in her heart, she knew that she was lonely...

* * *

Kathleen stared at the clock. Only a minute to 6 o'clock. Where was he? 'Please don't be late,' she prayed silently. A few seconds before 6, she saw Yamato Ishida, also known as Matt, rush in, carrying a new vinyl record in his hand. He hurriedly sat down, grabbed the headphones and shoved them on his golden blond hair, while his other hand yanked the microphone into position. One signal from the director and he begins to speak into the microphone, his voice contrasting with his disshevelled entrance.  
  
"It's 6:00 and it's time for Starlight Music, with your host, Matt Ishida." Matt smiled to himself. He felt like a star, even though he was just a DJ. He had a strong love for music, and although he could have been in a band, he hadn't been interested. However, being the local DJ suited him just fine. He was able to get fame without mass recognition. It was comfortable to talk to other people and gossip about what he felt like at times. He often spoke his thoughts out loud and he loved it. It was his own release, in a way.  
  
"I've heard of something called the 'Beauty of Imperfection'. For example, when we listen to Sally Moore, we can hear that she has good lyrics, good tunes, but her voice is far too girlish and squeaky. I feel that this is what they call the 'Beauty of Imperfection'.  
  
"There's also the 'Beauty of Regret'. What is that? I shall tell you, right after Sally Moore's song, 'Darling Goodbye', so stay tuned." With that, he placed the disk on the player and pressed 'play' before sitting back, enjoying the music.  
  
Matt enjoyed playing modern songs normally, but he also loved the old classic vinyl records and he couldn't resist once in a while to buy one, and even play it on air sometimes. Music allowed him think about his life.   
  
Kathleen, his work partner gave him a small welcome smile behind the glass panel of her sound organising section of the office.   
  
Within minutes, the song had ended, and a red signal told Matt that he's supposed to take a phone call. It was a woman, telling him about her recent break-up with some guy. Matt rolled his eyes. Sometimes women are just so frivolous.  
  
"I still miss him. I don't know how to forget him. I make myself very busy. I'm still at work, see. I called so I wouldn't think of him." The woman spoke over the phone.  
  
"You're still at work? Well don't let your boss hear, he'll complain about me, and I might lose my job." Matt replied, deliberately dispassionate.  
  
"You men have no sympathy!"  
  
"Well, rich and pretty girls have taken all the sympathetic ones. You see, the more pity I show, the worse you feel. But if I make fun of you, you'll get angry, throw a fit, and curse me to hell. If you turn your sadness to anger, then you'll feel better..."

* * *

Mimi sat in the bathtub, playing with the bubbles. The radio was on beside her with some Matt Ishida as DJ. She only started tuning in every night when she realized that his style was similar to her writing - straight from the heart. After the phone call, she took the remote and turned the volume higher.  
  
Matt kept on speaking. "I just mentioned the 'Beauty of Regret'. You like something, but you can't have it. That's the 'Beauty of Regret'. Not everyone is intelligent enough to accept it. Today, a woman begged me to let her have a vinyl record, saying that ti's a gift to her first love. Of course I didn't give it to her, for her own good..."  
  
Mimi opened her eyes and bolted upright in the bath. Oh no. It was the man. She couldn't believe it. That bastard! How dare he...  
  
"...I hope that she can feel the 'Beauty of Regret'. It's not always good to possess something with deep impressions. Momentos from those cause sadness. Why keep them? I'm playing this duet for this woman I just met on the phone." His voice ended with gleeful smugness, as the intro of the music took over.  
  
Mimi's eyes flared with anger. She wasn't going to let him do this. Who did he think he is? No, he was going to pay. Not only did he steal her possession from her, utterly refusing her without compassion, and now he was broadcasting her misfortune to the whole world! Suddenly, an idea formed in her mind. She normally handed in her columns two days before the newspaper was published, but...  
  
Mimi picked up the cordless phone up from the small table beside her and started dialling. "Kari? It's me. I'm writing a piece and I want to run it off tomorrow. Tell the Layout Department, for me okay?...Thanks, Bye!"  
  
With that, she quickly got out, dressed herself and made a cup of coffee. It was going to be a long night, writing her new column, but she looked forward to it with anticipation, fueled by her anger.  
  
Opening her laptop, she started typing straight away: "Regret starts with cold-heartedness."  
  
To be continued...


	3. Chapter 3

**And I Hate You So - Chapter 3**  
  
"'...A lawyer friend told me that often, criminals are behaving without shame. Once, a man who was accused of robbing an elderly, defended his actions by saying, 'He'll be robbed anyway, why not by me?' If you were in the jury, would you accept him for his honesty?'" Kathleen paused, and looked up from the newspaper to Matt, sitting opposite to her at the table of the restaurant where they were having lunch, listening half-heartedly while playing with his fork, waiting for his meal.  
  
A waiter soon showed up, delivering a steak. Kathleen read on. "'Some people are worse. Brutal actions are performed, and they not necessarily need to be physical. They openly taunt on the radio, and use their discompassion for humor, despite others' misfortune. That man's name is Yamato Ishida.'"  
  
Matt, who was cutting up his steak, suddenly slipped, his fork scraping loudly on the plate, eliciting a dreadful squeak. Pretending that nothing had happened and that he didn't care, he called the waiter over to distract himself. Who did she think she was? Writing things like that on newspapers. It wasn't fair, comparing him to criminals!  
  
The column was not yet at its end. "'What qualifies him to be a DJ? It's noise pollution. Bending logic to justify his actions.'" Kathleen stopped once again when the waiter came over.  
  
"I ordered medium, but look, there's no blood at all." Said Matt carelessly. He wasn't even thinking properly.  
  
"Sorry, I'll get you another." The waiter left, carrying the steak with him.  
  
"Are you listening to this?" Kathleen asked.  
  
"Every word, and I'm getting hungrier."  
  
"She's naming you in her column," she pointed out. "Our boss is her loyal fan."  
  
"Oh, our boss is an idiot. You'll be able to replace him any time now." He kept skipping the topic.  
  
"Others read her too. So do I. How did you offend her?" Kathleen questioned the blond in front of her. "Oh, but you offend people everyday." She added with a sigh.  
  
"What's her name?" Matt asked. He'll have to deal with it sooner or later.  
  
"Mimi Tachikawa."  
  
"Let me see it." Matt ordered. Kathleen handed him the newspaper. A few seconds, and he suddenly exclaimed. "Mimi talks about, 'The Menstrual Cycle'!" His voice was startling loud, and people began staring.   
  
Kathleen shooshes him with embarrassment. He didn't stop, and continued in his exclamation. "No wonder she's like this. She must have had her periods lately. She..." he was interrupted by the waiter, delivering his steak. He had forgotten all about it. Taking his knife and fork, he tried to cut it open, but this time, it bled, literally. Blood was coming out of the steak, making him quite nauseous, especially after talking about menstrual cycles... Suddenly, he wasn't so hungry anymore. Even so, he managed a smile to the waiter.   
  
"Good. It bleeds."

* * *

"A man beat her. All she could do was cry. Women shouldn't do that. It's the 21st Century already!" The woman on the phone said. Matt sat back in the studio chair, listening to her. He knew exactly where to go from here. He knew how to bend words to his use.   
  
It is, after all, what he was best at. 'It's payback time' he thought.  
  
He leant towards the microphone and started arguing his case. "But women do lose control sometimes..."

* * *

Mimi fumed. Why did Greg pick her up after work anyway? If he didn't she wouldn't be stuck in the enormous traffic jam, listening to the annoying voice of Matt on the radio. Unfortunately, her article didn't seem to affect his mood at all.  
  
She reached over to the small black knob that would effectively shut him up, at least in this car, but Greg stopped her. "Just listen. Then you can come up with a payback with good strategies and beat him down."  
  
He did have a point, so Mimi folded her arms and looked out the window. 'I'll beat him, no matter what', she thought.  
  
Matt's voice blasted through the speakers. "An American woman killed a man. She blamed it on someone else, and got set free. Can you believe that? So...a local woman writer had a similar strategy. Writing her columns when she's got her periods, dissing someone when they've done nothing wrong. A cheap gimmick to get attention.  
  
"She seems to have her periods daily. What can you do? As a man, I have never suffered from this. I pity those women who have periods daily. Besides telling them to see the doctor, I can only play them this song: 'The Lady is a Tramp'."  
  
As the music started playing, Mimi sat there, her anger almost bursting out of control. How can he even say those things on the radio, with hundreds of people listening? Greg, beside her, could net even help stifle a giggle. "Men...are...stupid." Mimi muttered.

* * *

"Go on, have some." Kari insisted, handing an already drunken Mimi some more beer. They were at the Moonshine for a well-deserved night out, and also to meet up with Kari's brother, Tai who had just come back from his honeymoon with his new wife, Sora Takenouchi.  
  
"No, I have to write tonight." Mimi said, waving the beer away.  
  
"Forget about it! Come on, wash your face and have another drink." Kari pulled Mimi off the chair and dragged her into the bathroom.  
  
At that moment, three people walked into the bar. An auburn haired girl, who was linking arms with a guy who had quite large hair, and a disgruntled blond, trailing behind. They were Sora, Tai and Matt.  
  
"Where's Kari?" Tai asked as he and the other two sat down on the spare table where Kari and Mimi just left.   
  
"She was supposed to meet me here."  
  
To be continued...


	4. Chapter 4

**And I Hate You So - Chapter 4**  
  
A few minutes after the trio placed their order for drinks, Kari and Mimi came trailing out of the bathroom. Both seemed to be a little drunk already, and did not seem to notice that the others were already seated until Tai called out to them.  
  
"Kari! Mimi!" Tai called. Matt lifted his head immediately. Mimi? In front of him, he saw two girls walking towards them. The younger one seemed to be Kari, as her features were similar to his friend Tai's, and the other girl...  
  
Mimi looked up. There was a girl similar to her age, with short, orange-red hair and a charming smile. She supposed that that was Sora. Beside him was Tai. She had already met him before. The last member was a boy probably slightly older than her. She had never seen him before. Her eyes drifted to his deep sea blue eyes, which immediately caught hers. He gazed at her with a probing intensity. She unapologetically stared back.  
  
Tai introduced Sora to Mimi first, and there were immediate smiles, hugs and congratulations. Then, he proceeded to introduce the mysterious blond.  
  
"Kari, you won't even know him. He was an old friend who I lost contact with, but apparently, just got reacquainted right after our honeymoon. He's -"  
  
"Matt Ishida," Matt interrupted. He watched a smiling Mimi freeze. She slowly turned her gaze from Tai to him.  
  
'It couldn't be...it just...couldn't be...' Mimi thought, but his mischievous smile told her that there was no mistake. She walked towards him, never letting her stare wander away from him. She was still holding a glass of beer, and she did the only thing that came into her mind.  
  
The cold beer splashed on his face. Matt used his sleeve to wipe the liquid off his eyes. Mimi put the now empty glass back on the table. Gathering her overcoat, she began to walk away.  
  
"Sorry, Sora. It was nice meeting you, and sorry Tai, Kari, but I have to go now. Bye!" The four watched her walk angrily out of the bar.

* * *

"You should continue to criticize him." Jennifer said.  
  
"Yes, by popular demand." Katie agreed. Jennifer and Katie were Mimi's workmates. The two girls, with Kari and Mimi were having lunch at a nearby food court. They knew all about the 'little argument' with the Radio DJ, Matt and the Newspaper Columnist, Mimi, and were encouraging her to further this interesting drama.  
  
"Many readers will support you, you know." Jennifer continued with confidence.   
  
Mimi smiled warily. "No need for that. I personally attacked him. Good enough."  
  
"Are you afraid he'll sue you?" Katie asked.  
  
"You can go and sue him." Jennifer added.  
  
Kari suddenly came out of her silence and spoke. "I don't think that he'll sue you. There's bound to be more."  
  
'More what?' Mimi thought. Dismissing the thought, she went back to her eating.

* * *

Matt walked out of the apartment, and pressed the small square button that would bring him down to the bottom floor. He turned and his eyes came upon a pile of newspapers in front of his neighbour's front door. Even though he knew that he shouldn't, he picked up the paper, and took out the piece in the middle where Mimi's columns usually were. As the elevator doors opened, he walked in, carrying the paper with him.  
  
'What will she write this time?' he thought. Instead of a come back, he came upon...  
  
_Robots, by Mimi Tachikawa.  
  
I love robots. Blue-collar robots. The ones in factories. Why isn't there a domestic assistant robot...  
_  
Finishing the piece, Matt began to ponder. 'This had to be a trick' he thought, before turning right to the direction of the library.

* * *

"Thanks," Matt said as he followed the librarian's finger and walked to the newspaper section. Taking out a large pile, he placed them on the table and took the first one from the pile. 'There has to be a good article from her somewhere in this pile' he thought. Not somewhere in the pile, but the first one from the engorging stack was an article that caught his attention.   
  
_Old Loves, by Mimi Tachikawa  
  
I have a white umbrella. When it was new, it was beautiful. Long and slim, contrasting from the crowd of black. Like an outstanding woman.  
  
Unfortunately, her beauty faded quickly. After a while, the white turned yellow and stains appeared like freckles. Also, the length was certainly a disadvantage, compared to the foldable umbrellas.  
  
So I began to create opportunities. To take it out on rainy days, hoping to leave it behind. Let it disappear, a painless separation. A perfect excuse to buy a new one. Won't that be nice?  
  
The unloved are sensitive. One day, it just disappeared, without wasting my energy. Umbrellas have their dignity too. But wait. I'm not ready. It can't disappear without my permission. I became determined to get it back. I thought about where I had left it. Bookstore? Restaurant? Subway? I went all over the place._

_I finally found it in the cinema. It was pouting, waiting for me. I recovered my love, and all was well. But from another angle, if I had really lost it, it would be gone forever. Would that touch of regret suit me better?  
  
All lovers' reunions are beyond words. Right?_

* * *

Matt's voice was loud and clear as he spoke confidently into the microphone. "Last week I mentioned the 'Beauty of Regret'. I was attacked by a woman for it. She said that I was brutal. Well, my listeners should know that I seldom read papers, especially those whiny columns. I wasted precious time just now to read this woman's works. Listen as I read this - it's quite long. The title is 'Old Loves'. I have a white umbrella..."  
  
Finishing the column, he began to tell his own story. "...I bought a second hand vinyl record. An ex-boyfriend trying to lose it. This 'love gift' he never wanted to see again." Matt smiled as he talked. He was on a roll. "As the host for Starlight Music, do you think that I should have rescued this record and share it with you all? Think about it. If this 'love gift' was returned to the ill-tempered giver, then goodbye to this record." Matt pressed a button, which displayed a shattering noise, illustrating his point before continuing. "Although I despise this rough woman, she's quite a good writer, if only she could control herself. Now, enough of my voice. Let's listen to a song."  
  
Matt let out a smirk to himself. If she could take a step back, then so could he. Then, he relaxed and listened to the song words, as he always did. "I have a gift of love. I want to give it to you. It is my heart. My deep love for you will never change..."

* * *

The boss of the radio station wore a happy and excited smile as he showed the staff their ratings. "Look at our success," he commented, his smile becoming broader and broader. "Just look at our success! Everyone wants to listen to our station, all thanks to our Matt here." He walked over to the star and patted him on the head, with childish gleefulness. "What do you say we invite this Mimi over to be your guest star, eh?" The staff nodded enthusiastically. 'This should be interesting,' Matt thought.

* * *

Mimi squinted as she looked through her messy apartment for her dictionary. Only a week, and it had disappeared under the books again.  
  
"You must accept," Greg said. He's been following her around the apartment, nagging her about the invitation to the radio station, persuading her with exaggeration. "It's great publicity. He has tens of thousands of listeners."  
  
"I'm not falling into his trap. He just wants to use me."  
  
"Well, use him back. This is called revenge."  
  
"He talks dirty. I'm afraid." She bent down and tossed some books out of the way. Where was it?  
  
"You've already thrown beer on him. You're just as bad... Cockroach!!!" Greg suddenly jumped onto a nearby chair, staring at the floor as if it held deadly poison.  
  
Mimi shook her head in annoyance. "Books and papers attract cockroaches. You're a coward."   
Bending down once more, she saw the red book she was looking for and walked to the living room, leaving Greg on the chair, still not sure whether it was safe to come down yet.

* * *

"Welcome, Miss Tachikawa." The boss was immediately welcoming their guest. "Kathleen will take care of you. Please, don't be polite." With an encouraging smile, he left the office, leaving the room empty except for Mimi, Kathleen, and Matt.  
  
Mimi seated herself on the far left chair. Kathleen followed her and sat next to her. Matt sat next to Kathleen on her other side. They all had drinks, but no one was drinking, and no one was speaking. The tense atmosphere was almost suffocating.  
  
Kathleen smiled at Mimi awkwardly, not knowing what to do. "Matt has already prepared some questions. Just talk normally." She turned to Matt, nudging him. "Talk about your questions." When Matt did not respond, she turned back to Mimi, giving her an apologetic smile. "Have a drink."   
  
Mimi picked up the plastic cup, but instead of drinking it, she fiddled around with the straw, jiggling the ice in the drink.  
  
Matt stood up, holding his drink. Walking over to Mimi, he held the drink above her head, tilting it slightly, making it seem as if he was going to dump the liquid on her, just as she did to him.  
  
After a few seconds of his threatening behavior, he placed the straw in his mouth and proceeded to drink noisily. "It's not drugged," he informed her nonchalantly.

* * *

"I have my first guest in two years. Miss Mimi Tachikawa!" Matt introduced into the microphone.  
  
To be continued...


	5. Chapter 5

**And I Hate You So - Chapter 5**  
  
He paused and looked over to his guest, sitting opposite him. The large headphones made her look smothered and adorable in a way. Nothing like her aggressive self that tossed beer all over him. From her fidgeting, he could tell that she was nervous. "So...why is your recent article called 'Robots'?"  
  
Mimi looked up confidently, her eyes blazing into his. "How disappointing. I knew you'd ask that, and so I decided that I won't answer." She spoked into her own microphone.  
  
"No?"  
  
"Even criminals have a right to stay silent."  
  
Matt raised an eyebrow. "Would you stay silent to all of my questions?"  
  
"Depends on my mood," she paused and an idea suddenly formed in her mind. "Do you mind if I ask the questions?"  
  
"Stealing my spotlight?"  
  
"Yes...or taking calls for you. I can be crude too."  
  
"Crudeness requires skill. Sure, try it."  
  
The first caller was a man with an annoying voice. He asked the first question. "Miss Tachikawa, I have a question for you. Are you married?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Well, not every woman is wanted. So arrogant and crude. You tell a joke and they think it's sexual harassment..."  
  
Mimi immediately became irritated. "Excuse me, mister. I would like to - "  
  
"Aah...all you women are the same. Love to interrupt. You think you're so wonderful. Just like my ex-wife..."  
  
Mimi cupped her hand over the microphone and glared at Matt. "If you don't hang up, I'm leaving."  
  
Matt spoke into his microphone, and only then did the man on the phone stop talking to listen. "No, this man is temperamental. But what he says makes sense. Feminist activists only harm fellow women. What does a woman care most about? What do you often write about? It's love isn't it? You can't just talk about love. You have to back it up with action. Cooking, housework ... are big parts of love, right?"  
  
"Did you pay that guy to do that?" she demanded.  
  
"Women can often imagine those things."  
  
This was too much for her. This sexual discrimination was injustice. She pulled off the headphones, grabbed her bag and walked furiously out of the studio. Kathleen, who was standing outside called out to her, but she was too angry to even hear her apology.   
  
He had embarrassed her totally, and now the whole city knew.

* * *

"I feel - I feel angry. No, not exactly angry. I'm more upset. No, not that either. I'm...I feel...Ah, I don't know what I feel!" Mimi paced around her apartment. That radio show was the most humiliating moment of her life. After storming out of the studio, she had tried to hail a taxi, but luck obviously wasn't on her side. No taxis went passed, and even if there were, they weren't available. Finally, she decided to call Greg, who arrived several minutes later and shipped her home.  
  
"You were right on leaving like that." Greg tried to cheer her up. "Too bad you didn't get to talk about your book." Mimi had finished writing her first book just a few weeks ago, and was being published in just two days. She had prepared a few lines about her new book, but it was a total waste of time now.  
  
Mimi turned and glared at the person who made the highly unsuccessful comment. "I'm gonna put a cockroach in your mouth." She threatened, knowing perfectly well that he hated the 'disgusting six-legged brown bugs'.  
  
Greg ignored her and continued to comfort her. "It's okay. I taped your radio session, and I'll bring the tape to Claudia. Do you know who she is?" He asked. He continued without waiting for her answer. "Chair of the EOC. He's dead meat." He smirked. The EOC was a department especially for unfair disputes between anyone, including sexual discrimination and deliberate humiliation. They had the power to take down a whole business if required.  
  
Still with her back to Greg, Mimi gave a triumphant smile.

* * *

Matt slumped in his chair. He had a huge headache. "You asked for more arguments," he complained in a mumble to his boss.  
  
"Well, it depends on the situation!" the angry boss rambled, "I thought you had a brain. Now the EOC is on our back, saying that we allow DJs discriminate women." He flung his arms to the sky. "Now what do we do? Did you find that guy who called? If you do, silence his whole family." With that, he got up from the leather chair and walked out of the office, with a loud bang from the door.

* * *

Mimi was coming back from another day of work. She had been held back at work and left later than usual. As she hurried into the elevator that led to her apartment, she flung her sleeve to look at the watch. 5:59 it read. The doors opened at what seemed like at a snails pace and the young girl hurried to her front door, battling with her silver keys and managed to open the door. Rushing inside without even bothering to take off her shoes, she made an immediate move for the button on the radio, just as the digital clock in her room flashed 6:02.  
  
The radio came on with a blast. Fully expecting to hear Matt's teasing low voice, Mimi wasn't   
prepared for the feminine voice, which emitted from the silver box. She stood for a moment, before reaching for the phone.   
  
"Hello, yes. Um...I was just wondering, what happened to Starlight Music? Programme change? So it was cancelled? Alright. Thanks." She set down the phone slowly. There was a sinking, guilty feeling within her heart. She didn't even know why she was feeling this way, or why she was in such a rush to get home today, just to catch a program with a DJ whom she hated.  
  
Sighing, she collapsed onto the sofa, the female voice still droning on endlessly on the radio.

* * *

Matt had been feeling very low in the past few days. His job had been taken over by a boring program about people and society. But that wasn't the only thing that was bothering him. There was something that he just couldn't put his finger on, that made him feel evil in a way.  
  
Kathleen had noticed his black mood and invited him for lunch. Smiling at him encouragingly, she  
stated, "Every letter is demanding for your return, you know."  
  
"Too bad your boss didn't say anything." The blond mumbled through his hands in which he rested his chin on.  
  
"Actually, he sent me to tempt you to return."  
  
"Really? So this lunch is the company's expense?" He straightened up and called for a waiter. "Wine list please."  
  
"Wine? At lunch?"  
  
Instead of answering, he questioned her instead. "So this lunch is a big part of the temptation?"  
  
"The boss is being very humble. He even defended you in front of the press."  
  
Matt raised an eyebrow. "Tell him that another station has already made an offer."  
  
"Really?" Kathleen was surprised to hear this. Actually, it really wasn't all that surprising. Matt was popular and good-looking. Radio was where he was in his element, and the appropriate sarcastic comments could roll off from his tongue in a heartbeat. She watched him intensely as the waiter delivered their lunch and gave him the wine list.  
  
Matt rolled his eyes mockingly. "Would I still be eating with you then?" Kathleen sighed inwardly with relief.  
  
She ignored the food in front of her and instead said, "If they did offer you, you wouldn't eat with me?"  
  
Matt smiled and indicated her vegetarian food with his head. "Eat, that grass is more digestible than meat. Cows have four stomachs. Have you?"  
  
Kathleen stared at him incredulously, just as her cell phone rang. She picked it up quickly. "Hang on," she told the caller, "The reception is bad." She left him at the table as she hurried outside.  
  
Matt sat back. Somehow he didn't feel all that hungry anymore. Looking around, he saw a man beside him leave, leaving behind a newspaper - the Morning Daily. He grabbed it and flipped instantly to Mimi's column. Instead, he encountered a blank rectangle where her column should be, with the words 'Mimi's columns will return tomorrow.'

* * *

The queue of people seemed to stretch on for miles. Mimi gently flicked her sore hand before signing her name for the quadrillionth time. Her new book had just been released, and she's been signing the copies that the local people bought at the nearby mall. She should be glad - there were so many loyal readers - but she was tired. Tired from smiling endlessly. From writing her name over and over again. By sitting here in the first place.  
  
She managed to clamber out of her thoughts to pose a fake smile for a small digital camera before signing the next book, and waving the girl off. The next girl held two copies. Mimi lifted her sinking head to look at her quizzically. Why would she be buying two?  
  
The girl understood her gaze. "One's for me, the other's for my boyfriend."   
  
Mimi smiled at her before signing the book. "Lucky you. You have a boyfriend who reads with you."   
  
She stated with a hint of jealousy.  
  
"He doesn't, but I try. So that's why I'm getting him one."  
  
"Well be careful of getting boyfriends presents." Mimi warned.  
  
"I understand." The girl paused as Mimi handed her the two thick books. I know about your argument with Matt."  
  
Hearing his name made her shiver slightly. "Well, his show is cancelled."  
  
The girl shook her head. "No, he's returning tonight. There was an ad in today's newspaper."   
  
"Really?" Mimi felt silly. She worked for a newspaper and she didn't even know. How stupid of her. She made a mental note to read the newspaper from now on.  
  
The young adolescent nodded, smiling a goodbye. "Beware of his attacks," she thoughtfully warned before leaving with her two books.

* * *

Matt sat down comfortably on HIS leather chair. He was back. Where he belonged. He put on his headphones and got ready to start. He didn't know that at the same time, Mimi was rushing home from her day at the mall, hurrying up the stairs, as the elevator was broken, and struggling to open the door. She turned on the radio at exactly six o'clock.   
  
"It's me again." Matt addressed in a somewhat evil voice, adding in a snicker to put in more effect. "Do you watch X-Files? One character is very evil. He dies, but returns after a few episodes to continue to wreak havoc. I am that character..." 

It was ten o'clock, and Matt was walking out of the studio. He should be happy. His fans supported him and he got his job back...but something was wrong inside.  
  
Loud high-heel footsteps emitted behind him on the silent hallway. "Hey, Matt. Wait!" called Kathleen. Matt stopped, allowing her to catch up. "Congrats on returning," she told him.  
  
"Thanks." His voice held appreciation, but it did not contain liveliness.  
  
"Wanna go grab something to eat?"  
  
"Whatever."  
  
Something was wrong, Kathleen concluded. Almost forgetting, she handed him a small parcel in a yellow-brown envelope. "What's this?" Matt asked.   
  
"The reception says it's for you."  
  
Matt took hold of the envelope and opened it. Sticking his hand in, he pulled out a dart velvet blue book. An array of multi-colored flowers decorated the cover, and the silver words 'Serpent In A Field of Flowers' printed neatly at the top. 'By Mimi Tachikawa'.  
  
He flipped open the cover to reveal a note. "Congrats on a new start. Leave me alone" with her signature on the bottom. Matt read it over and over again. He couldn't stop staring at it; the note or the brilliant cover. He didn't even know that Kathleen had walked off. She knew exactly what was happening. Matt was in love, and even though she herself had liked him, she wasn't going to interfere.

* * *

Mimi woke up with a start when the phone rang. Reaching out for the nearby cordless, she managed a yawn before muttering a sleepy "Hello?"  
  
"You eat, don't you?" Matt's voice was loud and clear, and Mimi recognized it immediately. After all, she had been listening to his voice quite often these days.  
  
"How did you get my number?"  
  
"You eat, don't you?" he repeated.  
  
"Well, it depends on my mood. The weather, with whom."  
  
Matt thought quickly. "It's a dark cloudy day, perfect for a duel with your enemy." He paused. "Two pm, Times Square taxi stand. Bring your white umbrella." With that, the phone started beeping, indicating that he hung up.  
  
"A date?" she asked herself out loud.  
  
To be continued... 


	6. Chapter 6

**And I Hate You So - Chapter 6**

* * *

Matt stood cautiously out of the small shop just opposite of the taxi stand. Carefully edging out, he peered at the yellow cars stopping to pick up customers, before leaving, and the next one pushing to its place. He checked his watch. It was definitely two, but where was she? He had a heavy feeling that she was not going to come. Which is the reason why he was here in the first place, to make sure that she was actually here before he crossed the road, making some excuse about the traffic, instead of looking like someone who had been stood up.  
  
He was about to go back when his eyes slipped to the small lane just in front of the shop. A young girl was sliding out, peering intensely at the taxi stand opposite the busy road. Her brown hair swayed with the wind as she eyed at her watch. Matt smiled. He knew that she too, was wondering if he had stood her up. How fortunate for him that he was behind her, and to see her first. Stepping out from the shop, he walked over to her, placing a gloved hand onto her shoulder.

* * *

Where was he? Mimi slowly and cautiously slithered out of the small lane that was just opposite the taxi stand. She arrived, but she didn't want to look like a fool, waiting for someone that probably won't even come, hiding from somewhere and watching her wait in the cold and laugh their head off, before broadcasting the incident again. No, she was not going to be that person, so she was going to wait for him and make sure that he was actually there and make up an excuse for her lateness.  
  
She lifted up her sleeve and looked at her silver wristwatch. It read two pm, but where was he? She dropped her arm, leaving it limply at her side; her eyes still lingering at the taxi stand.   
  
Mimi uttered a sigh when all of a sudden a hand grasped her shoulder. She screamed as a deep voice said "I said we'd meet there." He pointed to the taxi stand with his other hand, watching her slowly calm down, her right hand clutching her heart. He sure did give her a scare.   
  
After waiting a few minutes for her to calm down, she replied, "So why do I see you here?"  
  
All she received was a mysterious smile. Without answering her, he instead, questioned her. "Been here long? Thought that I stood you up? I had sincerely asked you out to talk."  
  
"About what?"  
  
Once again, he didn't answer, but instead lifted his head looking at the sky. "Oh, the sun came out. Wrong time for duelling. Let's eat first, and let me explain out misunderstanding. Will you listen?"  
  
"Oh, spare me," Mimi whined, holding up her own purple gloved hand.  
  
"You smile now, but you may cry later. See, you hated me coz I wouldn't return your 'love gift'. Actually, I have a personal distressing reason. Let's walk and talk." He paused before grabbing her hand, which stiffened as fingers encircled around hers. "In high school, I fell in love with a girl. This was over five years ago. Well, I wanted to get her something for her birthday, and she really wanted a CD walkman. They cost heaps then, well, at least to me, but I took extra jobs just to get her one.  
  
"She was walking and listening to my discman. One day, when she crossed the road, a truck crashed into her. She lasted four days in the hospital, but in the end..." Matt shook his head, trying to look really upset. It was just a story that he made up to make Mimi sympathize with him, and by peering at her face as she was listening to his story, he was sure that she believed it. He continued, "It was here, at Fran's Fruits." He indicated a nearby store, "She was crossing the road to come here, listening to the walkman that I gave her. So...you should understand."  
  
Mimi nodded. 'She bought it!' Matt thought gleefully. "I understand," her sweet voice came, staring at the fruit store before turning back to him. "I understand that Fran's Fruits wasn't opened yet at that time. I grew up here!"   
  
'Damn!' Matt cursed himself. He shouldn't have made that example. He'd just have to slip out of the situation. "I tell you my story of woe while you defeat it with logic. How heartless of you?"  
  
"May I go now?"   
  
"I wanted to take you to lunch."  
  
"How can you eat when you're so sad?" she mocked.  
  
"Sad people eat too."   
  
"If only you apologize and say that the tale was full of empty lies."  
  
"Okay. I was joking."   
  
"False and empty lies - Say it!"  
  
"...Did you really grow up here?" Matt questioned, carefully switching the subject.  
  
"Of course not. It's much too loud for authors." Both of them smiled. In the end, it turned out that both of them were lying.  
  
"You should work in Social Services Deny Pensions. It'll save the city billions of dollars each year.   
  
Come on, let's go eat."

* * *

Swallowing the food with great hast, Mimi hurriedly grabbed the glass of water, pressing it onto her lips, letting the ice cold liquid pour into her mouth, hoping to drown out the fire in her throat. How was she to know that what she ordered, which was 'Whatever-He-Ordered' happened to be this chilli? With half closed eyes, she flicked her eyes to the smirking blond opposite of her. He didn't seem to be affected at all. Instead, he watched her steadily and opened his mouth to talk. "You know, drinking water only makes it worse."  
  
The brunette set down the glass, gasping out, "Why didn't you tell me before?"  
  
He ignored the question. He used that tactic often, and it had never failed him. The topic changed swiftly. "I hope you understand - my job is to upset people."   
  
Finally calming down, Mimi slumped into the soft cushion on the chair and replied, "Well, upset others. There are seven million of them."  
  
He ignored the statement. "I finished your book."  
  
"Really?" Matt was smiling inside. It was so easy to drive her around the way he wanted to. It   
provoked him to find how many times she would fall for it.  
  
"It'll give me much to talk about this week."  
  
"The listeners must be bored of this. Even in the X-Files, the characters must die."  
  
This time, the smile reached his face, his lips, his cerulean eyes, making them sparkle like sapphires.   
  
Unable to help herself, the young girl felt herself slowly drowning in the mischievous glint of his eyes.  
  
"You were listening."  
  
"Well, I didn't want -"  
  
Her voice drifted off. Something had caught her attention that made her draw her eyes away from his and to the scene behind him. A couple was walking up the stairs, obviously to dine. The male kissed his female companion softly on the lips, and turned around, towards the direction to where Mimi was sitting. She recognised him straight away, and it was obvious that he recognised her. He was Greg.   
  
He hesitated, unable to turn away as he knew already that Mimi had seen him. Slowly, Greg dragged himself to their table, leaving the girl to sit on her own.  
  
"Hi."  
  
Silence.  
  
"You know, it's only for...a business..."  
  
Silence.  
  
"I guess...I'll go now...I'll see you soon..."  
  
He walked away, pulled his companion from her seat and led her downstairs, to leave the restaurant.  
  
Mimi was still sitting there, she hadn't moved a muscle. She felt betrayed. After all this time...   
  
"Don't feel bad..." Matt tried to cheer her up. By the looks of what was going on, he knew instantly what was going on. "Maybe he -" He was cut off mid-sentence.  
  
She was furious, and her head felt as if she just drank about the whole hundred of wine that were lined up on display on the wall. She tried to express her anger the only way possible, blaming it on someone else.  
  
"You...you asked me here for this?" she accused.  
  
He was taken back by the sudden burst of anger. "You think I have psychic power?"  
  
Listening wasn't an issue anymore. "You've gone too far this time!" She pushed her seat back and stormed out. A few people around were staring at the remaining young man. He made up a quick excuse. "The curry's too spicy." Then to the waiter, "Bill please."

* * *

The flowers and champagne were getting heavy. Greg had been outside the door of Mimi's apartment for the past thirty-four minutes, waiting for her to open, and possibly forgive him.  
  
"Come on, open up! I said I was sorry... Well YOU were having lunch with that DJ, and that was okay?! Is that fair, man? No! Come on, open up!" The one-sided conversation was going absolutely nowhere, and he finally gave up. Settling the flower and champagne down on the doormat, his voice penetrated from the wooden door one last time. "Well, I'm leaving your flowers and champagne here okay? I'll see you." With that, he walked off.  
  
Mimi made sure that his footsteps were no longer heard before she walked to the door, opened it, carried the flowers and bottle inside, and kicked the door closed. The flowers immediately made its home in the rubbish bin, but the champagne, she opened it, and drunk it straight from the bottle. She knew that drinking wasn't going to solve her problem, but it was a matter of forgetting. A temporary release was better than none.There was a loud ringing noise. It probably came from her head. But soon she realised that it was actually the phone. She didn't bother to pick it up, and the answering machine took the job eagerly.   
  
"Hey, Meems, pick up the phone." Kari's voice was loud and clear. "We're all waiting for your columns. The boss is really mad, so hurry and write something. I'll see you later. Bye."  
  
The bottle was tipped downwards again._The next morning  
_  
The pillow was getting awfully hard. Maybe it was made of wood...maybe...She opened her eyes groggily. It was wood. She fell asleep on the desk. As if she was an alarm clock to the fax, it suddenly responded, a small segment of fax paper rolling out. She grabbed at it. The words were a blur. She stared at it for several minutes before getting the message into her head. "The boss is really mad. He says 'don't bother'. I'm so sorry! -Kari."  
  
Her head began to sear with immeasurable pain. She scrunched up the paper and threw it across the room.  
  
She had lost her job, and lost her boyfriend, and practically lost her vision. The whole room was swimming and swaying.  
  
Luckily, her ears still didn't lost their ability, allowing her to hear the doorbell ring. Was everything trying to get at her today? She fought across her messy room, tripping over books, pencils, and thin air.   
  
When the door was opened, a bunch of flowers were stuffed in her face, followed by a smiling face. It too was distorted and swirling around. Mimi squinted her eyes and tried to focus. He was...her ex, James.   
  
"You?!" Her voice was louder than she expected, and it brought another stab to her painful head. She had also used too much energy expressing it. A wave of nausea swept through her and she clutched her forehead with her hand. James held onto her, and invited himself in, supporting her onto the bed."You what? Headache? Or are you sick? Or did I scare you? I've been calling you for an hour and I was afraid that something might have happened." Mimi stared at him blankly. He'd been calling her, and she had fallen asleep right next to the phone. She must have been more drunk than she thought. But when she thought of him again, anger took over the blankness. "You're horrible! You waited till I'm dying to come. I'll...I'll kill you!" she threatened pointlessly.  
  
"This is what I get after a few years. But that's just like before. I miss you. After all these years, I've finally found that I still love you the most. Mimi? Mimi?" she didn't hear him. She was slumped on her bed, having fainted.

* * *

"Thank goodness I got there in time. You could have died there. You'll have to come with me to Canada so I can stop you drinking a whole bottle of champagne." He had his arm around her shoulders, leading her out, and enjoyed her arm around his waist, obviously for support.   
  
"Who's coming with you? You threw out my 'Gift of Love'." She pointed out while climbing into the taxi. "That wasn't my fault. We were moving to a new home. Mom gave away all my records, saying that no one uses them anymore. It's true!" he insisted, after glancing at the disbelieving look on the girl's face. "But it doesn't matter now. See, the record made us find each other again, so it's a good thing."  
  
She turned away. "I don't care."  
  
"You broke up with that guy. And I with Irene. That's too much of a coincidence. We're an old couple. We know each other well. My house is very comfortable. I can turn the basement into your office. There are squirrels outside, and will knock on the window when you write..."   
  
The taxi stopped outside the tall building. James climbed out of the car, went to the other side and opened the door for Mimi. "Well, you remember to take this four times a day, as the doctor said," he reminded, handing her a small packet of medicine. "I'll go get plane tickets, then I'll help you pack."  
  
A small smile made it to her lips. "I said that I'll think about it. But thanks anyway. Go ahead." She insisted, and he climbed back into the taxi.   
  
"I'll see you." He gave her a warm smile and turned to the taxi driver. "Central please."  
  
Taking out the silver keys, Mimi unlocked the first security door and walked inside. The small elevator button lit up as she pressed it. The front door of her apartment opened with a creak. She tossed the medicine packet onto the table and sat down.  
  
He had asked her to marry him, and go live with him in Canada. She had lost everything here, and could start a new life there. Maybe she should go and take this step. But why was there such a huge sense of regret lingering deep within her heart?  
  
To be continued... 


	7. Chapter 7

**And I Hate You So - Chapter 7**  
  
Even though her mind was a swimming pool, Mimi still had some sense to check the messages on the answering machine while she was away. She got up from the hard cushionless chair and walked over to the small black box, and pressed the white button. It responded instantly.  
  
"BEEP! Hey, it's me, Kari. Well, I've got good news...the boss says that he's sorry. He pleads you to write for us again. So go do him a favour. Call me, okay? Bye.  
  
"BEEP! It's Kari again. The boss says that if you can get your column in today, he'll run your piece in straight away, so it'll be available tomorrow. Are you home? Well, call me. Bye.  
  
"BEEP! It's Kari. Where are you? You don't return calls, you turned off your mobile..." Mimi was no longer listening. The boss had wanted her to come back. That meant that she had got her job back, which made her decision even more difficult.   
  
She turned to look at the five huge bookshelves that took up half of her apartment. If she were to move, then all of them would have to go. It would be ridiculous to bring them along with her to Canada. An outstretched hand brushed across the stems of a row books lovingly. The books were precious to her.  
  
"It will be empty here. Where will you go?" As Mimi uttered the words, a wind swept passed, gently ruffling some pages of a few books, as if trying to reply to her question.  
  
Kari's voice came back into focus. "...bye!  
  
"BEEP! ...Hi...it's Matt." His voice caught her attention, and as if he was standing right there, her whole body swerved around to face the tiny speaker where his voice was emitted to face him. "I often talk in front of a microphone...this is my first time solo on the phone. I'm actually kind of nervous..." he chuckled to himself, his voice made an achievement of making her smile along with him.

"Somehow, we've been fighting since day one. Like we were enemies in our past lives...I want to talk to you about yesterday's lunch. I didn't really know it would happen. I'm a bad, nasty guy, but not as evil and powerful as that." He paused, allowing her to take this time to walk over to her bed and flop down on it, the pink sheets rising up as the weight of her body made contact with the bed.

"You may not believe this...I was trying to be your friend. I've argued with you, read your essays and columns. I feel like I've known you for a long time. But we've never talked calmly. I won't waste any more of your tape...When you have time...call me." A series of numbers came through. "...Also, I've subscribed to that paper. I hope to see your column every day. Bye."  
  
The answering machine beeped for the last time, then the whole room became silent.

* * *

Matt swerved his eyes to the red light, making sure that he was on air, before nodding slightly to his guest, mentioning to her that they have started. "Remember Mimi Tachikawa? My guest last month who stormed out and lost all dignity? Unpredictably, she's back at her own will. It's such a surprise you wanted to come. I thought you wouldn't have the time." Matt lifted his eyes from the grey microphone to look at her speak into her own microphone, her head bending slightly down, looking hunched and frail, as if there was a strong load pushing her down.   
  
"Don't worry. I have plenty of time. My Cycles have stopped - I mean my columns." She had tried to make a joke, but her voice came out sad.  
  
"How did that happen? Now I can't bear to attack you."  
  
This time, her eyes lifted as well, to meet his. "Go ahead. It's your last chance. I'm getting married."  
  
His handsome face shifted ever so slightly. He tried to make his face expressionless, but even he could not maintain that mask. It was utterly stupid - it did not make sense. Why did he feel as if his heart was being squeezed? Why did he even care?   
  
The silence stretched, and Matt struggled to get his voice back. "What? Really?" he choked out.  
  
"Yes, I'm going to get married." she repeated, the word making his heart stop again.  
  
"Congratulations." His voice was mechanical.  
  
"Thank you." She paused. "I want to come to thank you - may I say a few words?" Not trusting his voice, he nodded, even though he knew that the listeners wouldn't be able to see.   
  
"Well," she explained, "months ago I was in a Junk Shop. I found a record I had given to my first love. The first gift I had ever given to a man. If it were you, something to important in a junk shop, what would you do? Someone else got it before me. A DJ bought it. But he wouldn't let me have it, and said rude things on air."  
  
Matt cut in. "I still think it's for your own good."  
  
She nodded. "Yes...now I agree. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have called my boyfriend, even if it was to yell abuse, and if not for that, I would not have reunited with my first love."  
  
"You're marrying him?"  
  
"Yes. So...I want to thank you."  
  
"You forgave him for selling your gift?"  
  
"...I accepted his explanation."  
  
"So you're forgiving."  
  
"...I believe in destiny."  
  
Matt leaned back on his chair. "Yes, women tend to believe that. 'All lovers' reunions are beyond words'. I think you wrote that in your column once. I think it was called 'Old Loves'. About an umbrella right?" He didn't just presume, he memorized. He had read it over so many times that he knew the whole piece off by heart. "Anyway, I congratulate you, Mimi. Well...let's first go to commercials."   
  
A square yellow button was pushed, and the machine automatically rolled the various advertisements.  
  
Mimi took off the earphones and got up to gather her things. She was leaving tonight, and some of her luggage was outside, guarded by Kathleen, who graciously volunteered to look after them while she went inside.   
  
The door silently opened and she forwarded out into the silent corridor. Until a voice pierced this silence. "Mimi!" she turned around. It was Matt, and he was holding something flat and square. It was her record. He walked over and hands the record to her, but she shook her head. "I'm immigrating. Flying tonight. Keep it as a memento." A smile and a wave were the last things he received before seeing her slim body walk out of his life...forever.

* * *

A taxi was waiting for Mimi on the other side of the road, facing the direction to the airport. A side window was rolled eagerly down and a face popped out. "Hey, Meems!" It was James. He opened the door and walked towards her, and grabbing the first luggage, he walked back with it, tossing it in the trunk. Mimi grabbed her last two items: A large luggage bag, and a white umbrella. She looked at it for a few seconds, before lifting her arm to throw it in the nearby bin. She didn't need it anymore. Her real love was there in person.  
  
The last luggage was placed in the trunk along with the others, and she climbed in the back seat with James.   
  
"Hey, James?"  
  
"Yes, sugar?"  
  
"Remember how we broke up?"  
  
He considers for a while, his head tilted in thought. "No, I don't. Was it because of a fight?" he guessed.  
  
She shook her head. "No, because we stopped fighting, and quietly went to movies, quietly went to dinner, then quietly stopped calling each other." She recounted perfectly.  
  
"You like to argue?" he asked, slipping an arm around her. "That's easy. When we get to Canada, we'll fight about everything, okay?"  
  
Smiling, she turned to face him. "It's going to be hard on you."  
  
"I don't mind."   
  
They both stopped talking, and as if they had rehearsed, the two looked out on their side of the window.   
  
The silence became unbearable. The driver flicked a switch, and the radio came on. It was tuned to Starlight Music.  
  
"A friend of mine is immigrating tonight." His smooth voice made her freeze. It wasn't the taunting one she was used to...but a caring one. "I wonder if she's on the plane yet. Anyway, even if she is, I'm giving her this song."   
  
_I wish you bluebirds in the spring.  
To give your heart a sing  
And then a kiss, But more than this,  
I wish you love.  
And in July, a lemonade  
To cool you in some leafy glade.  
I wish you health, but more than wealth, I wish you love.  
My breaking heart and I agree,  
That you and I could never be.  
So with my best, my very best,  
I set you free.  
_  
The song continued on. It was dedicated to her, Mimi realised. The words dawned on her. Did he really love her? She looked at James, who was still concentrating on the passing buildings and lights. Was she in love with him, the man who was staring out the window? The one who claimed to love her, even though he could not even remember how they seperated? The person who gave away his Gift of Love? Or...

* * *

It was past eleven already. The rest of the staff had left for home, but he remained in his closed studio, and played the song over and over again to himself. The haunting music and reminiscent lyrics seemed to reflect his mood perfectly. Regret.  
  
_I wish you shelter from the storm.  
A cozy fire to keep you warm.  
But most of all, when snowflakes fall,  
I wish you love._  
  
The song ended for the eighteenth time. Matt closed his eyes, trying to stop the pain deep within him.   
  
Only today did he realised that he loved her. He had felt an attraction from the first time he met her in the bar, but he didn't know that it was love. And now, he had lost her.   
  
He turned to see the record. The one that brought them together, and split them apart. "It's all your fault," he said, not knowing whether he meant the record or himself. Even so, he held it gently, before closing all the lights in the room and walked out to the corridor. He really should be going home, but he was taking the record with him. With his head down, Matt walked out staring at the ground, deep in thought. Only when he was about to trip on a shoe did he look up.   
An angel was standing there. Her long white overcoat made her shine. Her smiling eyes shone into his. The first words came out as a spiteful question, "Why must you always do this to me? Why?"  
  
Instead of answering, he smiled, then laughed. A joyful, relieved laugh. She had come back - to him.  
  
Before long, both of them were laughing, for no particular reason at all. Then he drew Mimi into a hug, a long and tight one, before kissing her soft lips, which curved up in a smile against his and responded graciously.   
  
They were all alone, rejoicing at the newfound love, except for three items: two luggage bags, and a long, white umbrella.   
  
The End.  
  
Thank you all SO much for reviewing. I really hope you liked the story!!!


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